I've
been doing a little research into local folk music. The reason is that I
wanted to make reference to one or two old, local folk tunes in an
orchestral piece that I'm writing. It appears that Cecil Sharp, the
erstwhile gatherer of folk tunes visited Newent in 1910 when he noted
tunes from "Charlie" Baldwin when he was in Newent workhouse. The
workhouse is now our Community Centre building on Ross Road, where, a
nice little coincidence, the orchestra rehearses. Charlie Baldwin was
born in 1827 at Gorsley Common, described (I like this!) as a "wild and
untamed place", on a drovers' route from Wales and a stopping place for
travellers. One of several tunes Cecil Sharp collected from Charlie was
'Polly Put the Kettle On'.
Folk and classical music can seem miles apart and this gap is defined in
medieval times when the goals of sacred and secular composers were
different. Composers of sacred music sought to bring a mystical
atmosphere to church, while secular music was made solely for
entertainment, for dance and to express love. Sacred composers were
formally trained while secular composers were not. The two forms of
music represented a musical separation in society between the trained
and the untrained, basically between the privileged and the poor. This
division still exists today but not so clearly in terms of rich and poor
but as an unfortunate musical snobbery: there are the commoners who
love their folk, pop, rock and country music, and those who are
'classically trained' and ostensibly appreciate the finer things in
music. At this point, I'll drink a toast to crossover music.
Where was I - oh, yes, onions. The music I'm attempting to write is a
tone poem, with scenes inspired by some aspects of life in Newent. One
such scene is the Onion Fayre, which takes over the town for one day in
September (this year on the 10th). Revived in recent times the fayre has
medieval roots so I thought it appropriate to make reference, in music,
to medieval folk traditions and combine this with something more
modern.
The Newent Orchestra has a stall to promote itself at the Onion Fayre and this
year, will be doubling the size of the stall to present
some live music throughout the day. If you are wandering past, you might
hear some of our woodwind and brass musicians, and one or two string
chamber groups. You might also hear the strains of a couple of those
scenes in and around Newent depicted in music, one in particular owing
something to Cecil Sharp and Charlie Baldwin.